Apparatus for treating tobacco



i P. H. MAYO. Apparatus for Treating Tobacco.

No. 228,770. Patented June 15,1880.

-FETERS, PHOTO L THOGRAFN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER H. MAYO, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,770, dated June 15, 1880. Application filed July 25, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PETER H. MAYO, of Richmond, in the county of Henrieo and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Treating Tobacco and other Materials, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists, in part, in an apparatus, constructed substantially as hereinafter described, for wringing, drying, cooling, and steaming or moistening tobacco, so as to bring it into condition by a continuous operation while it is on the way from the dipping-receptacle to bulk.

The invention further consists in the combination, with the drier, cooler, and moisteningchamber, of rails which permit the inspection of the tobacco while conducting it from the cooler to the moistener, as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side. elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

A represents a fan or other blower, forcing air through a pipe, B B, which delivers it through branches b b 1) into the drying-chamber G, from which the air is returned through pipes d d D to the fan. Any necessary amount of the air may be discharged through the outlet B fresh air being taken in through the opening B to take its place.

E is a heating-coil, to impart a high temperature to the air passing into the central part of the drying-chamber.

E E are steam-coils, placed beneath the trays F F, which are placed in one, two, or more tiers on suitable cleats or supports, permitting the said trays to be slid in suecession from end to end of the chamber, G being a sliding door or shutter through which they are introduced, and H a similar door or shutter through which they are taken out. The sliding doors or shutters are drawn down by treadles I I, to bring the openings g h in the doors opposite corresponding openings in the chamber ends when a tray is to be introduced or taken out. When the doors are re leased by the foot they are restored to their upper or closed position by weights J, attached to cords j.

K represents the dipping-vat, and L the wringers or rollers for squeezing the liquor out. The supporting-cleats extend, as shown, from the dipping-vat to and through the dryingchamber, and from the discharge end of the dryingichamber exposed rails V extend to a cooler, R, where the material is subjected to a current of cold air from a fan, P.

U U are shutters covering handholes, through which access is had to the tobacco for examining it as the drying progresses.

M represents a steam-chamber, where the material is finally treated in an atmosphere of damp vapor, which may be charged with any flavoring material, if desired.

Tomake the steam sufficiently damp it is discharged through a nozzle, N, within an inverted bell, S, the upper margin of which is formed of a pipe, T, supplied with water through a pipe, T, and pierced, so as to discharge a number of jets toward the center, so that the steam will rise in contact with the spray.

To assist in precipitating moisture on the material, cold air from the fan P is introduced through a pipe, 0, and preferably delivered through the bell S, as shown. Surplus Water is carried oft from the lowest part of the bell through a discharge-pipe, s.

The inverted bell and annular water-nozzle, combined with the steam and air blasts, are described as my preferred appliances for subjecting the material to the combined effect of wet steam and cold air. Other modes may, however, be substituted for eft'ectin g the same results. For example, the Water may be thrown into the steam-pipe before the steam is discharged, or it may be placed and circulated within an open panin the bottom of the steam chamber, and the steam introduced through one or more nozzles inclined downward, so as to deliver the steam in contact with or below the surface of the water, which water is constantly changed by a regular force, so as to prevent its heating too much.

The process of drying tobacco in this apparatus is as follows: The leaf is first dipped or otherwise sweetened, and being saturated or very heavily charged with a solution of licorice, sugar-water, 850., is ready to be placed (tied up or not, as preferred) upon the frames or trays F F, which, being arranged at the front end of the drier, and immediately ad joining the dipping-vat, the trays of tobacco are most conveniently disposed of by simply placing them in the machine one after another on the same planes, so that the first frames continue to travel straight through over the heated pipes and the heated blast till, by the time they reach the other end, the contents are dry, and the successive frames can be taken out to give place to others, and so on continuously at will. The powerful blast produced by the fans creates such perfect circulation as to greatly improve the flavor, and makes it impossible for the material drying to burn. The frames are next (on the sameplane) borne to and over the chamber B, into which is forced a cold-air blast from the fan P, which at times is very essential to cool the tobacco to prepare it to properly receive the liquidflavoring and other dampening ingredients to give it proper pliancy and suitable condition to be worked into plug or otherwise. From the cooling-cell the frames are passed into another compartment, M, on the same line as the drier and cooler, and one or any number heiug placed therein, the steam is turned into a vat below the frames, which vat being supplied with water, either in the form of jets or in a suitable pan, and having a cold-air blast to increase condensation, the vapor produced by the injection of steam and cold air soon brings the leaf into a soft and pliant condition, when it is ready to be bulked, having been advanced to this position in a much shorter time than by any process now in common use, and at less expense of labor and handling, because it is moved continuously from the dry unsweetened leaf state to and through the driers, cooler, and softener with little or no delay. The continuous process also effects great saving in scraps, 850.

By means of my apparatus two or four goodsized boys can dry as much tobacco, heavily or less sweetened, as it is possible for a large number of experts to dry and prepare by the usual process, and at a saving in time as one to twenty-four.

Having thus described my invention, the

following is what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The apparatus herein described, consisting of the vat K, rollers L, drier O, trays F, and guides V and doors G H, in combination with cooling and moistening appliances, to effect the dipping, wringing, spreading, drying, cooling, and moistening of the tobacco by a continuous process.

2. The combination, with the drier O, cooler It, and moistening-chamber M, of the rails V, for conducting the trays F from the drier to the cooler, and permitting the inspection of the tobacco without handling the trays.

PETER H. MAYO. l/Vitnessesz TI-IOS. ATKINSON, DAVID J. Bone. 

